The Enlightenment

1. The Enlightenment A Movement that gave birth to the Foundations of Modern Society

2. The Scientific Revolution used reason to challenge assumptions about the natural world. The scientists paved the way for the development of new scientific fields. The Enlightenment used reason to challenge assumptions about government and law. The philosophes paved the way for new patterns of government. The Enlightenment was a logical extension of the Scientific Revolution

3. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) Hobbes saw the event as proof of the necessity of absolutism. People need to be controlled or they will turn into animals John Locke (1632-1704) Locke saw it as proof that authority comes from serving the people All people have natural rights which are part of human dignity Two Views of the English Civil War

4. Locke inspired the Enlightenment: • Locke held that all people have a natural rights to life liberty and property. • Locke saw the purpose of government as the protection of those rights for its citizens. • He also advocated a system of checks and balances against absolutism, religious freedom, and the separation of Church and State. • His theories were embodied in the American Revolution design of the U.S. Constitution.

5. The French Philosophes • Advocates of the Enlightenment in France were known as the philosophes. • They gathered in the salons of wealthy educated people and shared ideas which challenged the social order of their time. • Denis Diderot collected these ideas and other scientific facts and published them in the first Encyclopedia. • This work helped to spread Enlightenment Ideas throughout Europe.

6. Reason: This was seen as the only certain source of truth. Nature: This was order by design which was the source of all law and propriety. Happiness: This was seen as the proper goal of life which was attainable if one lived according to their nature. Progress: This was a positive belief that humanity would get better and better until it reached its inevitable perfection. Liberty: This was seen as the only way that progress would take place. If people had the freedom to learn and grow then society would get better. The Ideals of the Enlightenment

7. Montesquieu (1689-1755) He was a French jurist and Baron who criticized the political system of France. He advocated a Separation of Powers for which he believed the Parliamentary System of England to be the best model. Voltaire (1694-1778) He was a famous French writer and satirist who made fun of the intellectuals and political system of his era. He advocated freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion. Early Philosophes

8. Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Rousseau saw the structure of human society as the root of humanity’s problems He felt that the government which governs least governs best. Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794) Beccaria held that the justice system would fail as long as it acted with injustice. He argued for the abolition of torture and cruel or unusual punishments Later Philosophes

9. The Impact of the Enlightenment • The Enlightenment challenged the roots of the political and social order of the era. • This served as an inspiration for Eastern European Monarchies to attempt reform. • It provided the inspiration for the American and French Revolutions. • This served as the foundation for the creation of the United States of America. • It brought about the birth of modern feminism as the first challenge of the traditional male-dominated social system.

10. Enlightened Despots Joseph II Holy Roman Emperor (1744-1790) He tried to reform Church and State, eliminate censorship. His reforms were resisted and ultimately reversed. Frederick II of Prussia (1712-1786) He was a great military and political leader who made Prussia into a European power and reformed the legal system to administer equal justice for all. Catherine II of Russia (1729-1796) She restructured the legal system and introduced limited self government. Her reforms were stopped due to a rebellion in the empire.

11. Enlightenment Statesmen Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Author of the Declaration of Independence, founding father of the American Revolution and the 3rd President of the United States. James Madison (1751-1736) Author of the Federalist Papers, framer of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. He was the 4th President of the United States. Simon Bolivar (1783-1830) The Great Liberator of South America who helped Venzuela, Columbia, Ecuador & Peru to gain Independence from Spain.

12. Olympe de Gouges (1748-1793) She wrote “Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen” and was executed in the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) She wrote “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” Inspiring Women’s Rights groups all over Europe by challenging the male dominant social order. Foundations of Modern Feminism

13. Review Questions • What was the relationship between the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment? • Whose view of the English Civil War set the stage for the Enlightenment? • What was the role of the Philosophes in the Enlightenment? • What revolutions were inspired by the Enlightenment? • Who were the “Enlightened Despots”? • Who set the foundations of Modern Feminism?

14. Analysis Questions • Contrast Thomas Hobbes and John Locke and their view concerning proper government. • Explain how Four of the Enlightenment Ideals are a part of the modern view of life. • Describe the contributions of the early and later Philosophes to the modern concept of government. • Explain the impact of the Enlightenment on the History of Western Civilization. (Choose any Two to write as a Paragraph)